Among Other Grieving Family, Liam Payne Is Survived by Two Older Sisters

The tragic and sudden death of former One Direction member Liam Payne has rocked the music industry and beyond. On Oct. 16, Liam passed away after falling from the third-floor balcony of his hotel room in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he had traveled to see former bandmate Niall Horan in concert.

Among those publicly sharing their love him have been the One Direction members — Niall, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik — as well as fellow celebrities with close connections to Liam like Simon Cowell, Ed Sheeran, and more.

However, while fans have been mourning the loss of one of their favorite pop stars, they've also shared a great deal of concern for Liam's family members. Aside from just his parents and young son, Bear, Liam also had two older sisters.

Meet Ruth and Nicola.

Each of the One Direction members had siblings, and as a result of their widespread fame, fans became familiar with the boys' brothers and sisters, as well. Louis was known for having a large family, with six siblings, while Niall and Harry each had one. Liam, however, like Zayn was a brother to two sisters.

Liam was the youngest of three, born in 1993, but he and his two older sisters, Nicola and Ruth, had a close bond. They supported him all throughout his career, from X factor to his solo career and beyond, up until his passing.

Nicola, who was more active on social media than Ruth, often shared snaps of their loving family. In a 2019 Instagram post, Nicola and Ruth showed their brother some love backstage: "I’m so proud of [Liam] and what he has achieved. Being there to celebrate his first solo album release was one of the most special memories I will hold onto forever!

"We have waited the longest for this album to come out and for Liam to be who he wants to be as an artist, and I just love it!"

Nicola and Ruth often spend time together going to concerts and even went out to support one of their brother's former bandmates, Niall Horan, at his show in August 2024.

Both sisters also have families of their own. Ruth married Thomas Gibbins in June 2016, and Liam was a member of the wedding party. The couple welcomed their first child, Ashton, in October 2017.

Nicola, on the other hand became a wife and mother in 2020, marrying partner Nick Farnell and welcoming their daughter Ffion in the same year, per People.

As of writing, neither sister has individually addressed their brother's sad passing, but Liam's family did put out a short, joint statement.

"We are heartbroken. Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul," they said in a press release. "We are supporting each other the best we can as a family and ask for privacy and space at this awful time."